Two teams/universities, Stony Brook and Buffalo, with links to radio station WFAN won their conference tournaments yesterday to automatically qualify for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Buffalo team results were being reported as a weekly feature when I last listened to the station WFAN, weeks back.
Stony Brook has been promoted and talked about many times on WFAN.
Congratulations to each team.
Buffalo has been better than expected all season and yesterday rode to the NCAA’s beating Akron University as a 4 plus point underdog.
While those betting Stony Brook vs Vermont were not rewarded, the team was and now both Buffalo and Stony Brook await their seeding and opponent in the tournament.
Though the American League Central Division is the home of the current World Series champion Kansas City Royals, three other teams in the division have gone at least 25 years sans a World Series win.
This year’s division favorite, the Cleveland Indians, last won it all in 1948. A process with aspects similar to selling detergent will yield a 13th U.S. President since the 1948 title, just after this year’s World Series.
Detroit (Tigers) also won their last World Series in a presidential election year, 1984. Once 1984 the title of a classic book by George Orwell approached and scared us with its vision, now it is 32 years later. Commenting on “nada” else time does move!
The Minnesota Twins’ last World Series win was 25 years ago in 1991 while the Chicago White Sox won 8 straight LCS and World Series games, a still unprecedented feat, since a then U.S. Senator from Illinois named Barack Obama, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before game 2 of the 2005 ALCS.
The White Sox ended an 88 year World Series title drought that year, now 11 years into the “rear view mirror.”
The (8-3) World Series record of the one eighth A.L. East is the best of any of the six one eighth divisions in the 21 completed baseball seasons since the beginning of such divisions.
The Yankees, at one point (4-0) having won 4 World Series in 5 seasons under manager Joe Torre from (1996-2000), are (5-2).
They lost World Series in 2001 and 2003 before winning one in 2009.
The Red Sox, sans a World Series victory for 86 years are (3-0) in W.S. since the advent of one eighth divisions.
Boston won it all in 2004, 2007, and 2013.
The Tampa Bay Rays are (0-1) in the period, having lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2008 World Series.
I am glad things worked out for a good man like Joe Torre pictured above.
It is my opinion that even the (58-6) defending NBA champion, Golden State Warriors are not a great advertisement for the NBA, not because they win, perhaps being great, but because they, more than any team, take advantage of the ridiculous 3 point shot.
Last night for example, the Warriors 18 made three point shots, one less than the Portland Trail Blazers made despite losing the game by 16 points.
I just think the three point shot rewards the team that makes it disproportionately.
In any case, I like the Warriors and obviously they have a great record. Last night, Klay Thompson (37) and Steph Curry(34) had 71 points between them.
“G.S.” avenged a lopsided loss to Portland, in each team’s first game after the All-Star break.
The aggregate years between World Series wins in the American League East is lower than any of the six divisions in major league baseball.
Starting with the Boston Red Sox (3) and the New York Yankees (7), the total is 84.
The last Toronto Blue Jays crown was in 1993 while the last Baltimore Orioles’ title was in 1983.
The Tampa Bay Rays, who began play in 1998, have never won a World Series.
Playing as members of the one eighth A.L. East which began completed season play in 1995, teams are (8-3) in the World Series highlighted by the Red Sox being (3-0) and the Yankees (5-2).
I saw a nice Michigan fan, call her “Lady L,” and I told her that Michigan had pulled out an overtime win vs Northwestern.
She said that she did not follow the Michigan basketball as she would football.
I added the obvious reasons as football has a meaningful, much shorter regular season.
Now Michigan has upset Indiana (what did Indiana have at stake?) and likely will be in the NCAA Tournament or certainly has a shot.
I do not know “Lady L” that well but happened to see her before three or four of the Michigan wins en route to the 2013 NCAA Finals.
Who knows in the wide open NCAA, things might get interesting for “Lady L,” and other Michigan fans, less basketball intense or otherwise.
There is no disputing the greatness of former St. Louis Cardinals’ pitcher Bob Gibson.
Additionally I recall fondly when starting pitchers finished games and the stories about Gibson and doing so are legendary.
One additional fly in the ointment that already had two big ones vs Gibson.
Again he was great, going (7-2) in World Series games winning two 7th games, I believe (7-5) and (7-2) but he did lose #7 in 1968.
I knew he gave up a huge home run to Mike Jorgensen, that was a key blow in the Pittsburgh Pirates and not Gibson’s Cardinals winning the N.L. East in 1974.
Now I have just learned what I should have known which is Gibson gave up a 2 out, 2 run home run to Tom Tresh (his rating went up in my book) to tie game 4 of the 1964 World Series.
Some perspective is that Gibson allowed just those two runs and St. Louis won the game with Tim McCarver’s three run homer in the top of the 10th the deciding blow.
Bob was great, arguably ahead of Tom Seaver, clearly behind Sandy Koufax as the best pitcher in say 50 years, but that home run by Tresh which easily could have cost the Cards the Series, does diminish the still awesome, all time rating of Bob Gibson.
Then again, we all should have such a “diminished” rating.
What a sight! The great Bob Gibson, pictured above, pitching.
Here are some early thoughts on the American League East.
The defending champion Toronto Blue Jays are potentially very good but I say not as good as expected.
New York (Yankees) to be about the same and their old rivals, the Boston Red Sox not as good as people expect.
Baltimore and its over rated manager Buck Showalter have not won a World Series since 1983 and do not scare too many people this time around.
Tampa Bay (Rays) who knows?
Who really knows in any case? That is why they play the games.
While Yale won the regular season Ivy League title and will make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1962, it is very likely Northwestern will again fail to make the field.
An overtime win by Michigan vs Northwestern all but assures the factNorthwestern still has never made the NCAA basketball tournament.
Will Wichita State make the field despite a loss in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament?
That question and others will be answered when the field is announced this Sunday.
I look forward to the announcement but can wait until the next day to find out the “411” as the kids call it.
Beano Cook could not wait and often left a message on my voice mail saying get back to me right away concerning the tournament.
In the coming weeks as part of our ongoing nostalgia posts, I will reflect on Beano’s unique insight and comments about an event he saw grow beyond words in his time attending it.
Much has happened since Yale last played in the NCAA Tournament, some major events involving U.S. Presidents affiliated with Yale.
Driving home, sitting in traffic and “flipping” the stations, avoiding sports talk and hearing certain things.
Someone with the last name GILT, hopefully is not hurt, after being shot through the seat by her 4 year old son with a gun that was around in the vehicle.
Gilt is a big guns advocate. Her name is operative and here is hoping the punishment is not severe, but the lesson is learned.
Knowing the fervor with which guns are revered, even something like this will not change the ways.
At least do this regarding leaving guns where children can get them.
Andy B Sports 